Source : Perth Now news
A dengue fever vaccine is available in Australia for the first time after cases in returned travellers spiked.
Dengue fever is a viral infection that is transmitted through mosquitoes infected with the virus, according to NSW Health.
The virus is found in tropical and subtropical countries, and can cause severe-flu like symptoms that lasts about six days and can be fatal in some cases.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) reported Qdenga is now available for patients with a history of dengue fever who travel to endemic areas.
RACGP reported the dengue virus was the fastest growing communicable disease globally with about 100 million estimated cases each year.
RACGP specific interests public health chair Peter Markey said severe dengue could occur with any dengue infection, but a second infection from a different serotype could be fatal.
“Your first case of dengue primes you, and then the second case, which will be from a different serotype, might cause an immune response which can kill you or make you very sick,” he said.
Australia recorded a record high 2381 degnue fever infections in 2024, which dropped to 1863 cases last year.
Most dengue fever cases in Australia were acquired by international travellers returning from endemic countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Fiji.
Dr Markey said people who were visiting Bali for a week but had not had dengue before were at small risk of contracting the disease.
He said they would not benefit from the vaccine.
“But if you’re going to Bali to live, or you’re going to live somewhere else where they have endemic dengue, then it would be appropriate to have it for the long term,” he said.
